Drying truck for hay or other materials



June 22, 1948. F. w. MOFFETT, JR 2,443,355

DRYING TRUCK FOR HAY- OR OTHER MATERIALS Filed Dec. 7, 1945 I 5 Sheets-Sheet} i .213 l 1 14 l I i 1 r E l 1 I I J I i zu za /3 A27 INVENTOR.

I BY

June 22, 1948. F. w. MOFFETT, JR 2,443,355v

DRYING TRUCK FOR HAY OR OTHER MATERIALS Filed Dec. 7, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 F n 'I I '1 I: I: I: I- I I1":

June 22, 1948. F. w. MOFFETT, JR

DRYING TRUCK FOR HAY OR OTHER MATERIALS Filed Dec 7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 22 INVENTOR.

%z'jfl%7vz y I Patented June 22, 1948 DRYING TRUCK FOR HAY OR OTHER MATERIALS Frank Wesley Mofiett,.Jr., Gates, N. Y. Application December 7, 1945, Serial No. 633,282 i 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a drying truck for handling hay or other materials, and has for its object to afford a portable structure that can be loaded with hay and moved into cooperative relationship with a source of heated air in order to dry the contents thoroughly before removal from the truck, thus enabling hay to be dried in small unit masses in the same truck inwhich it is carried from a field.

A more particular purpose of the invention is to afford a practical and efficient drying truck that enables ready loading while traveling alongside a moving hay gathering and chopping machine which feeds the hay into the truck, with facilities for insuring uniform distribution of the hay over the truck and obviating greater water content or density of pack at one point than at another.

An additional object of the invention is to afford a drying truck including a foraminate bottom beneath which is located an air chamber divided longitudinally into independent passages and adapted to be connected at one end with a source of heated air under pressure, whereby the heated air is uniformly distributed under and driven upwardly through the hay to eifect uniform and quick drying.

A further purpose of the invention is to afford a drying truck that permits quickly connecting the air chamber with a source of heated air and detaching the connection when desired so asto enable loading a truck with hay, quickly treating the contents at a hot air drying station, emptying the hay from the truck. and then reloading, so that a multiplicity of drying trucks can be utilized to remove hay from a field and the contents of each truck thoroughly dried before unloading.

Still an additional object of the invention is to afford a construction that permits of loading hay into a truck through an opening at the top of one wall, and distributing the hay evenly and uniformly over a foraminate bottom, including instrumentalities for preventing excessive packing of the, hay at any one part of the truck.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a truck construction that enables quickly connecting the air chamber with a source of heated air under pressure by a detachable connection that is positionable out of the way on the truck when not in use, and an arrangement of parts that insures the heated air moving uniformly upwardly through the body of the hay and prevents the hot air traveling through the spaces imme diatelyadiacent to the side and end walls, thus eliminating heat losses and increasing the efficiency and speed of the mechanism.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts 5 that will appear clearly from the following descriptionwhen read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a drying truck incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention and showing it connected with a source of heated air;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the truck, illustrating one of the bafiies in operating position to deflect incoming hay as it is loaded to the side of the truck adjacent to the loading opening;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the truck; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated;

Fig- 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7. is a rear end elevation, and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view online 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, I designates generally the chassis of a truck provided with a tongue or link 2 by which it may be connected to a tractor or other transporting means, while 3 designates a conduit leading from a, portable hot air generator or other source of heated air under pressure, and detachably connected with the truck in a manner that will appear presently.

The drying truck includes side walls 4 and 5, a front wall 6, and a, rear wall including end gates l and 8 which are hinged to the side walls. The end gates l and 8 are held closed by a locking bar Q pivoted to the gate 8 at In and engageable with cleats l l to hold the gates in closed position while the truck is being loaded and the hay subjected to the action of heated air for dryin purposes.

The side wall 5 is somewhat higher than side wall 4, as shown in Fig. 2, and connected therewith by the top 12, the inclination of which is such as to permit ready draining and prevent collecting of water onthe top. The top 12 also includes an overhanging portion I3 projecting beyond the side Wall 5 just above the loading opening l4, provided at the upper end of the side wall 5. I5 designates a flexible cover of canvas or other suitable material attached to the top l2 and adapted to be dropped down, as shown in Fig. '7, and engaged with hooks [6 to close the loading opening and protect the contents of the truck against rain or dampness when necessary. During the loading operation, the flexible cover l5 can be thrown up over the top !2 and rests thereon.

It will [be understood that the truck is drawn over a field by any convenient means and loaded from a hay gathering and chopping machine which moves along with the truck and blowshay' in through the loading opening M. The hay lodges on a foraminate false bottom that preferably consists of three removable sections, each embodying a multiplicity of transverse slats IT spaced, from each other to afiord air openings 58 and connected by means of transverse strips 9. The removable foraminate false bottom sections are supported on spaced partitions 2|, see Fig. 7, which rest on a suitable base or bot tom 22, thus affording an air chamber beneath the foraminate false bottom divided into longitudinal passages 23 which can be'readily cleaned whenever necessary by removin the foraminate sections supported thereon.

At the forward end of the for-amin'ate sections is a permanent continuous floor piece 24 resting on the front ends of the partitions 2| and serving as a barrier against upward movement of air at the extreme forward end' of the truck, while at the rear end is an inlet comprising a top wall 25 immediately under the endgates 1 and '8, a bottom wall 26', and end walls 21. 28' designates connecting means in the form of a conduit of canvas or other fabric or flexible material, the mouth of which is permanently attached in any suitable fashion around the edges of the inlet opening by suitable fastening strips 29,- as shown in Fig. 8, while the opposite end of the fleidble conduit 28 is adapted to bedetachably' fastened to an outlet from the conduit 3 of the hot air generator, as illustrated in Fig. 1'.- When the drying operation is completed and. the truck is being loaded, the fie'i'ii'ble conduit 28 is detached from the hot air conduit 3- and stufi'ed Within the inlet opening of the air chamber where it is out of the way.

In order to prevent heated air from passing upwardly through the" spaces afforded immedi' ately adjacent the sidewalls of the truck, there are provided strips of tar paper, lean paper, or other suitable maten'ai 3'1 laid over the foialminate bottom iii contact with the side walls and extending throughout the length of the foramihate bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 4.. These strips 31 act as a barrier to stop and deflect the heated air toward the center of the floor and insure its passage upwardly through the" body of closely packed hay. I

Whenthe truck isbeing loaded through opening M, if there is nothing to prevent, the wet hay packs more tightly at the side of the truck away from the wall containing the loading opening Hi, and it is essential to obviate this and distribute the hay evenly over the floor in order to insure uniform distribution of moisture, as otherwise quick" eflijoient' drying cannot be had. In order to attain thisoloje'ctive, a series" of ba'iiles or deflectors are positioned in the path of the incoming hay as it is' l'oiddt The mechanism shown for this purpose includes bafiles 32 pivoted to the top at 33 and each positionable at an angle to the side wall 4 in the path of the incoming hay, as shown in Fig. 2. During the initialpart of the loading operation, this causes the hay as it is blown in to strike the baffles 32 and be deflected downwardly to the part of the floor adjacent the side wall 5 containing the loading opening. When this side of the truck is substantially filled up to the bottom of the baflies 32, the latter can be swung downwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 6,- and the incoming hay then falls down to floor adjacent the side wall '4 and fills up that portion of the truck until it is entirely loaded throughout to a' point substantially level with the bottom of opening l4. Each baffle 32 is held in operating position by means of an arm 33 pivotally connected thereto and movable through an opening 34 in the side wall 4. The arm 33 is provided with an end portion 35 that can be moved between opposite lugs 35 attached-to the side wall, and heldin suchposition by a fastening screw or other suitable means which can be quickly releasedto permit movement of the arm 33 and bafile 32 outwardly. When the baflie' 32 is in its verticalposition, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the arm 33? can be lowered to a vertical position outside the side wall 4.

While the invention has been described with reference to a particular construction, it is not confined to the detailed arrangement shown herein, and this application is intended to cover such modifications or-departures asmay come within the purposes of the improvement andthe scope of the following claims l. A portable drying truck for hay or other materials including: side walls,- one of said side walls havinga loading opening at its top, aforaminate false bottom havingan open space immediately thereabove capable ofsupportin a mass-of'hay over its entire area-,-'a base or bottom, an air chamber between said foraminate false bottom and said base, saidair chamber being substantially coextensive with said foraminate false bottom, and a bafile adiustably positionable at an angle to the vertical in the pathof the hay as it is fed'irr through said loading opening.

2. A portable drying truckfor hay or other materials including side walls, one of said side walls having a loading opening at itstop, a bafile pivotally supported adjacent and adjustable at an angle to the opposite side wall in the path of the hay as it isfedinto the truck; aforaminate false bottom having an open space immediately therea-bove capable ofsupporting a mass of hay over its entire area, a base orbottom, an air chamber between said forarninate false bottom 'andsaid base, said air chamber being substantially coextensive with saidforaminate false bottom, and flexible conducting means associated with said air chamber and detachably connectible with a source of heated air under pressure, said flexible conducting means having substantially the same width as. said air chamber.

3. A portable drying trucl; for hay or other materials including side walls, one of said side walls having a loading opening at its top, a b'affie pivotally su ported adjacent and ad' jus'ta'lble' at an angle to the opposite side wall in the path of the hay it is fed into the truck, aforaminate false bottom having' an open space inimediately thereabove capable of supporting a mass of hay over as entire area, a base or bottom, an air chamber between said foraminate false bottom and said base, said air chamber being substantially coextensive with said foraminate false bottom, and a conduit leading to said air chamber and detachably connectible with a source of heatedair under pressure, said conduit being of substantially the same width as said air chamber.

FRANK WESLEY MOFFE'I'I, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,156 Iles et a1. July 19, 1921 149,403 Hutchins Apr. '7, 1874 269,135 Street Dec. 12, 1882 327,893 Morgan Oct. 6, 1885 535,981 Emerson Mar. 19, 1895 626,579 Viele June 6, 1899 716,462 McElheny Dec. 23, 1902 OTHER REFERENCES Barn Haydrier, Schaller et a1., Agricultural Engineering Development Division of Tennessee Valley Authority. Reprint June 1945 (price $1.00), pp. 19 and 20. 

